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N0. 6I6,405. Patented UB0. 20, I898. C. M. CLARK.

AUTOMATIC MAGNETIC CIRCUIT BREAKER.

(Application filed May 27, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES CIIARLICS M. CLARK,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC MAGNETIC CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ila-616,405, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed May 27, 1898.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. CLARK, of the city of New York, boroughof Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved Automatic Magnetic Circuit-Breaker, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved automaticmagnetic circuit-breaker which is simple and durable in construction anddesigned for use on single,

two-wire, or multiple circuits, is very sensi-' tive in operation, andis arranged to be set for automatically breaking a circuit in case of anoverload, underload, or a combination of both.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of the improvement on the line 11 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line2 2 in Fig. 1.

The improved magnetic circuit-breaker is mounted in acasiug A, having acover A for hermetically sealing the said casing, so that the apparatuscan be located at any desired place without danger of disturbing thework ings of the apparatus.

On the casing Aare arranged the binding: posts B B, connected with theends of the wire forming a circuit, the bindingpost B being connected bya wire C with a brush D, secured to a block of insulating material E andsecured inside of the casing A. The free end of the brush D is incontact with one side of a metallic block F, secured in the web of adisk G, made of vulcanite or other suitable insulating material andsecured on a shaft II, mounted to turn at one end in a bearing A securedto the back of the casing A, the other end of the shaft being coupled toa shaft 11, mounted to turn in hearings formed in the cover A, asindicated in Fig. 2. A

hand-wheel H is secured to the outer end of the shaft H for resettingthe machine by the Serial No. 681,884. (No model.)

operator, as hereinafter more fully described. The coupling between theshafts H and 11 consists of a spring-pressed pawl H fulcru med on theshaft H and formed with a lug II, normally engaging a notch H inthe'periphery of a collar I-l, secured to the shaft H. The other face ofthe block F is normally in contact with the free end of a brush D,likewise secured to the block E and connected with a wire C, formed intoa solenoidcoil C terminating at its end in a wire C leading to the otherbinding-post B. Thus when the several parts are in the positionillustrated in the drawings-that is, with the free ends of the brushes DD in contact with the block F-then the circuit is closed, and when thedisk G is turned and the free ends of the brushes move out of engagementwith the block F and in contact with the faces of the disk then thecircuit is broken.

In the solenoid-coil C extends a soft-iron core I, secured on one end ofa lever J, fulcrumed on a pin J, held in the casing A, the outer end ofthe lever being formed into a hook J for engaging a pin K, carried bythe disk G. A spring L is connected with the free end of the lever Jopposite the core I, so as to hold the hook J normally in engagementwith the pin K to lock the disk G in place, and the said spring L isattached to a yoke N, held adjustably on a screw-rod N, carried by thecasing A. A gage N is arranged alongside the yoke N to indicate thetension to which the spring L has been adjusted by the yoke N on thescrew-rod N. Thus by adjusting the yoke N on the screwrod more or lesstension can be given to the spring L to set the device to the desiredstrength of current at which the circuit would be broken.

A helical spring 0 is fastened with its inner end to the shaft II andwith its outer end to the inside of the casing A, so that when the hookJ disengages the pin K then said spring imparts a rotary motion to thedisk G in the direction of the arrow a, to move the block F out ofengagement with the brushes D D and break the circuit. A blow-outconsisting of a fiber or insulating plate P, secured to the inside ofthe casing, straddles the disk Gr adjacent to the brushes D D, so thatwhen the disk is rotated for breaking the circuit then the sparkproduced by the block F, leaving the free ends of the brushes, isreadily extinguished or absorbed by the blow-out I. The coil C ispreferably supported by brackets A, attached to the casing.

The operation is as follows: As long as the current is normal theseveral parts remain in the position described, the circuit passing fromthe binding-post 13 by the wire (l, through the brush D, the block 1*,the brush D, the wire 0, the coil 0 and by the wire Q to thebinding-post l3. lVhen an excessive current passes through the circuit,as described, then the coil 0 acts asa magnet and attracts the soft-wirecore I, so that a swinging motion is imparted to the lever J against thetension of the spring L, and the hook .l swings out of engagement withthe pin K. As soon as this takes place the helical spring 0 imparts arotary motion to the disk G in the direction of the arrow (4, so thatthe block F in moving with the disk moves out of engagement with thebrushes D D, and consequently the circuit is broken.

In order to limit the turning motion of the 1 disk G, I provide thelatter with a segmental 1 slot G, through which passes the pin J,forming the fulcrum for the lever J When it is desired to reset theapparatus 5 after the current has been reduced, the operator turns thehand-wheel ll in the inverse direction of the arrow o until the pin Kagain snaps under the hook J so as to lock the disk again in position,with the block 1" in 5 contact with the brushes D and D.

It is understood that the arrangement may be made for an increase of theload, as well i as for a decrease thereof or fora combination of both,by adjusting the spring L and arrangi ing the .lever J and the core Iaccordingly.

The device is very simple and durable in 1 construction, is not liableto get out of order, and is completely automatic in operation.

By having the working parts con fined withi in a hermetically-sealed boxor casing itis evident that the apparatus may be located in any desiredplace-for instance, in places containing gas or other combustiblematterin which a spark would cause an explosion and do damage. It willbe seen that the apparatus may be placed in any desired position, as itis evident that the several parts will work no matter what the positionof the casing is.

lVhen the circuit is broken, as above del scribed, the operator turnsthe usual switch to shut off the current entirely. Now should theoperator turn the hand-wheel II for resetting the machine as describedand before he has turned off the excessive current as soon as the disk Gin its return movement brings the block F in engagement with the brushesD D then the current passes again through the coil C and attracts-thecore 1, which in moving inward strikes against the free end of the pawlli and throws the lug ll out of engagement with the notch 11", so thatthe spring 0 turns the shaft Hand disk G forward again in the directionof the arrow a to break the circuit, as described. Thus the shafts lland ll are disconnected automatically and the machine cannot be resetunless the current is shut oil.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters latent-- 1. A cireuit-ln'eaker, comprising a rotarydisk of insulating material, a contact-block seated in said disk andextended through the same, fixed brushes normally engaging said block,one at each side of the disk, the said brushes being in an electriccircuit, a solenoid in the circuit, a pivoted latch having connectionwith the solenoid-core and normally engaging with a part on the disk, tohold said disk, a spring for moving the disk when released by the latch,and a blow-out in the form of a plate having an opening through whichthe disk may move, the said plate being secured near the brushes,substantially as specified.

2. A circuit-breaker, comprising a casing, a shaft consisting of twosections mounted in the casing, a pawl mounted on one of the see- 1tions and adapted for locking connection with the other section, a diskmounted on one of the shaft-sections, a spring for rotating the disk, acontact-block carried by the disk, brushes for engaging thecontact-block, the said brushes being in the electric circuit, asolenoid in the circuit, and a core in said solenoid, the said coreoperating to release the disk upon an overload of current, and alsooperating to move the pawl out of its locking position, substantially asspecified.

CHARLES ll. CLARK. \Vitnesses:

Tnno. G. llos'rnn, Evnnnnn Bonrox MARSHALL.

